Loving a Fearless Duchess: A Historical Regency Romance Book(79)

Ten minutes later, the men were ready. He pointed to Penelope’s bedroom. “Two into the tunnel with one torch. One at the entrance in case someone comes out.” He marched the men through four more bedrooms, each with a trap door, and gave identical orders.

Edward took the remaining men downstairs and showed them the trap doors in the parlour, the office, and the larder.

“The rest of you, come with me.” Edward ran to a wooded area and stopped at a stone wall. He walked next to the wall, kicking it every couple of steps. One kick hit a soft clump of branches.

“Come help me,” he said, as he got on his knees and tore at the branches.

Soon, they were staring at a hole in the stone wall that became a tunnel.

“Two, stay here and guard this opening. The rest of you come with me.”

Edward sprinted to the river and stopped, his head swivelling to the right and left, trying to get his bearings. How many years ago had he seen this exit? How many times? Once? Twice?

He started walking close to the river, watching for something, anything unusual to his right-hand side. He turned and looked upriver again.

“Does anyone know where the house is from here?”

One of the men, confident in his speech said, “It’s there,” pointing far north of where Edward thought it was.

He adjusted his steps then turned. At a slower pace than before, he watched for something, anything that looked out of place.

“My Lord?” one of his men called.

Edward ran over and looked. Underneath some leaves and a little soil was a round flat disk made of wood.

“Clean it off and lift it,” Edward said.

It was the opening. “Two of you, stay here.”

Edward sprinted again. He went to the stables, not expecting much since the stable master told him no horses were missing. Could they be in the tunnel waiting for a chance to steal a horse or two?

At the very back of the last stall, Edward brushed aside the hay and opened the trap door. What he saw made his heart sink.

“No cobwebs. They came through here. Get Joey.”

“My Lord?”

“Yes, Joey. You did a count of the horses when we found Lady Penelope missing this morning?”

“Yes, My Lord. All the horses were here.”

“What about carriages or carts, are they all here?”

“Yes, My Lord,” Joey said. “The empty delivery cart was gone, but Boney, the delivery man, gets up early to be on his way.”

Edward turned and put his fingers to his mouth, giving out a loud, shrill whistle. He turned back to Joey.

“Can you describe the delivery man, Boney?”

“He’s really old. He has a lot of white hair, and he’s skinny.”

Edward turned. “Did you all hear that?”

The men nodded. “What about the cart, Joey. Can you describe it?”

“Yes, My Lord. It has two wheels close to the ground and sides about this high.” Joey gestured to indicate the sides were about eighteen inches high.

“And the horse?”

“Nicer than you’d expect, My Lord. Dappled, but young and strong. I think that horse serves old Boney well.”

“Thank you, Joey. Saddle every horse we have.” He turned to his men. “Some of you help him.”

He looked down. “Gerald,” he yelled.

“Yes, My Lord.”

“We need to track that wagon. We’ll follow you.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Edward went back to the front door while waiting for the mounts.

Frank Abbott, Edward’s steward at Edgewood, had been pacing by the front door ever since Edward left to block off the passage exits. He and the staff were silent. There was really nothing to say.

Then Edward sprinted up to them.

“It looks as though he came through the stables tunnel and stole a delivery cart. As soon as the mounts are ready, we’re on our way to find him. In case we’re wrong, I want everyone in place where they are until I get back. That includes the men at the exits.

“Once the tunnels have been searched, have those men go to the dower house. Have them do whatever Minton requires. Any questions, Frank?”

“Is it safe for people to come and go from the village?”

Edward stood still, breathing deep, thinking how he would answer. He thought Henry was a distance away by now, and Henry only wanted Penelope. But would Henry use a villager as a hostage?

“Only in groups of three or more, understand?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Edward was being called back to the stables. The horses must be ready.

“Thank you, Frank,” he said, then left.

*****

The cartwheels were easy to track. The ruts in the road would slow down their progress. At the rate the horses were going, Edward hoped to catch up with them within an hour.

The horses turned the bend and stopped short.

“Halt,” Edward called.

The men dismounted and stared at the scene. Henry hadn’t even bothered dragging Boney’s body to the side of the road. He left the cart there too.

Edward called two of his men forward.

“Move this cart, and bring this man back to be buried. Have a couple of stable boys do it so you can catch up with us.

“Now we’re tracking one horse. Everyone take a look, and let’s go.”